Pilatus PC-12 single-engine turboprop fleet passes ten million flight hours

The Pilatus PC-12 single-engine utility turboprop has achieved a significant milestone, surpassing ten million flight hours since the first deliveries of the model in 1994. Pilatus reports that 71 PC-12s have logged over 20,000 flight hours each, with the fleet leader accumulating more than 35,000 hours. With nearly 2,000 PC-12s delivered to date, the fleet has recorded over 9.3 million landings.

Ignaz Gretener, Vice President of Pilatus’ business aviation division, acknowledged the remarkable achievement, stating, “When the PC-12 was launched, this milestone seemed light-years away in the future.” He credited the success to the robust design of the aircraft, the high-quality production process, the effective sales team, and the dedicated support team that keeps the aircraft in the air.

The Swiss made PC-12 has been widely utilized by various sectors, including corporate flight departments, individual owner-operators, fractional and charter companies, air ambulance services, and special missions units. The latest iteration, the PC-12 NGX, was introduced in 2019.

Equipped with the Pratt & Whitney PT6E-67XP engine, the PC-12 NGX offers impressive specifications, including a top cruise speed of 290 knots, a range of 1,803 nautical miles, and a full-fuel payload capacity of 988 pounds.